Supplemental car-step.



N. A. THOMAS.

SUPPLEMENTAL GAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1913.

anvouto'a AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA C NORMAN ATI-IELLO THOMAS, OF STAPLES, MINNESOTA.

SUPPLEMENTAL CAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16,1913.

Application filed May 16, 1913. Serial No. 768,159.

To all whom 2'15 may concern Be it known that I, NORMAN A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Staples, in the county of Todd and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Supplemental Car- Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a supplemental car step adapted normally to be brought into closed position immediately beneath the regulation step and to be projected downwardly and slightly in advance of the ordinary step when in use.

The invention consists of the novel features of construction hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation showing the step in position for use. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the step removed from the car. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a rocking shaft and a portion of an operating lever. Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a connecting link. Fig. is a plan view of a lever locking plate. Fig. (i is a longitudinal section through a modified form of locking plate. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of an end portion of the regulation step showing the guide members applied thereto.

In these drawings, 1 represents the car platform, which may be of the inclosed type as shown in Fig. 1 and which carries the regulation steps 2. Upon the side members of these steps are located two guide members 3.

My adjustable step consists of two side members 4t having inwardly angled portions 5 in which are mounted the ends of a shaft 6, said shaft being provided midway its ends with a bracket arm 7. These side members t are inwardly flanged as shown at 8 and upon these flanges supported a stop 9. The side members t are longitudinally slotted as shown at 10, and said side members work over the side members of the steps 2 the slots 10 receiving the guide members 3, which act as guides and limit the sliding movement of the supplemental step. Ar-

ranged beneath the platform of the car and extending longitudinally with respect to the car is a. rock shaft 11 having also a bracket arm 12 and upon which is fixed an operating lever 13. The bracket arms 7 and 12 are pivotally connected together by means of a link 14:. Preferably I insert in the car platform a rectangular plate 15 provided with a locking lug 16 which is engaged by the lever 13 for the purpose of holding the step 9 in ele ated or closed position.

Where the device is employed upon an open platform instead of a closed one a simple plate 17 provided with an angled lug 118 is secured to the end of the platform and the lug 1S acts as a stop for the lever 13 in the same manner as the lug 16. In order to throw the step into operative position it is only necessary to disengage the lever from the locking lever and the step will drop by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 1. It can then be lifted into closed position by reversing the movement of the lever.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a fixed step having side members, guide members carried thereby, a supplemental step adapted to normally rest beneath a stationary step, said supplemental step having side members longitudinally slotted to engage the guide members, said side members being angled inwardly at their upper ends, a shaft connecting said upper ends, a bracket arm carried by said shaft, :1 rock shatlt carried by the car platform, a bracket arm carried thereby and a link connecting said bracket arms and an operating lever fixed upon the rock shaft.

2. A sup 'ilemental step comprising longitudinally slotted side members angled at their upper ends and flanged at their lower ends, a shatt connecting the angled upper end portions, a stop mounted upon said flanges, fixed guide means adapted to extend into the slots and operating means for adjusting said sumilemental step.

NORMAN A'IHELLO 'lTHONL-LXS.

Vitnesses J. D. IIAND, MAE \Vamcnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

